


Mourning for Optimus

by Opatoes



Category: Transformers: Prime
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Grief/Mourning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-17
Updated: 2015-07-17
Packaged: 2018-04-09 19:03:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4360718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Opatoes/pseuds/Opatoes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Not everyone copes the same way when someone dies. Post Predacons Rising.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mourning for Optimus

Well, the war is finally over. He should be happy about this, right? Should be grateful that millions of years of conflict are over. The caste system is dead, and Megatron’s long gone. Nobody really knows where he went. Smokescreen should be happy that there is finally peace, right?

But you know? He’s not. Smokescreen is not _pleased_ , frag it all. The war’s over. Megatron’s gone. But Optimus is also gone- no doubt will never be seen again. He’s the reason he fought in this stupid war that destroyed their planet. Optimus was his reason to fight- and now look where Optimus is. He dedicated his very life to be a knight for Optimus, and here he is now with no one to protect. Optimus is gone, but he's still here.

He can still see it perfectly in his mind- and it keeps replaying in his head. Optimus diving into the well- sacrificing himself for Cybertron’s future. And there have been reports of eggs around Cybertron, so his passing at least created something. Too early for them to hatch, though. Too early for most other bots to arrive back on Cybertron. It’s too early for him to do anything to restore the planet, and too late to bring Optimus back.

It had been a month since the incident, and he hadn’t had the energy to leave his own quarters since. Barely enough energy to leave his own berth. What’s the point, anyhow? He doubts he’s wanted out there- they probably all hate him, he’s probably useless to them. Worthless. They all know each other so well- they’ve been on Earth together for so much longer than he has. They've got unbreakable bonds, and Smokescreen just doesn't fit in their mix.

Knock Out had been knocking at Smokescreen’s doors for several minutes. Smokescreen heard it, yes, but that doesn’t mean he had the energy needed to answer. He didn’t have the energy to answer the others earlier, either- did they knock today, or earlier this week? Smokescreen isn’t so sure right now. He hadn’t had the energy to have energon for this past month, either. Several days have been spent going in and out of stasis mode because he’s low, but he doesn’t care. He hardly notices.

He’s actually starting to fall into stasis again when he hears a weird noise at the door. Knock Out wasn’t knocking anymore, so he must have left- but there was an awful noise around the door. It sounded like sawblades? He was probably imagining something again. No reason to get out from his blankets.

Knock Out finally gets in after sawing the door open, and fears for the worst when he sees an unmoving blanket.

Smokescreen isn’t even in stasis mode- he’s just staring, blankly, and doesn’t seem aware that Knock Out is there until Knock Out whirrs his sawblade next to Smokescreen’s audial. Now he looks like a terrified youngling, but at least he’s noticing him. Knock Out’s no therapist. The Autobots have those, don’t they? Isn’t his name Ring or something? Perhaps he should call them in- All of team Prime needs one.

“At least drink this, Smokescreen.”

“I’m not really hungry- you don’t gotta do this, you know, Knock Out.”

“I’m not asking you. Drink it.”

“No, no- I told you, I’m not hungry. Get away from me- just leave me alone- I’m fine-”

Where is Knock Out’s life going? He’s forcefully pouring med-grade down a young wailing Autobot’s mouth. This isn’t the first time this week he’s had to remind an Autobot that they need energon to survive. At least he doesn’t have to attach a dead Prime arm to anyone, though. He’ll count his blessings.

It takes Smokescreen a little while afterwards to move, and Knock Out’s staying to ensure that the energon didn’t frag with Smokescreen in some way. Smokescreen certainly seems to be functioning, and a quick test shows Smokescreen reacting much more quickly to stimuli, which is to say he is reacting. But soon enough, even if Knock Out wanted to move, he couldn’t.

Maybe Smokescreen’s grieving for more than just Optimus. This might be the first time he’s ever really gotten a chance to grieve for anyone. Every time he’s lost someone before, he was thrown into another situation and at least got himself distracted enough to focus on something that wasn’t himself. But the war’s over, and he’s alone, and he’s actually scared.

He certainly hopes Knock Out doesn’t mind Smokescreen clinging to him suddenly. Hopefully doesn’t mind him crying on the other, either. And he stays still while Smokescreen’s repeatedly saying “Please don’t go.”

_Please don’t go. I don’t want to lose you, too._

 

**Author's Note:**

> This spurned from some late night roleplaying events that made me cry, and then comparing Smokescreen to other characters making me cry again. This exists mainly because I needed to cry.


End file.
